Landing light or flare for attaching to aircraft



H. E. S. HOLT.

LANDlNG LIGHT 0R FLARE FOR ATTACHING T0 AIRCRAFT.

APPLlCATlON FILED NOV. 26, 1921.

FLAQSfiQB. Patented. Jul 1 1922,

5 SHEET$-SHEET I.

z Z I f 5 0 5/ i *F c a E 0 11M g J; 0 [2178 2 H. E. S. HOLT.

LANDING LIGHT 0R FLARE FOR ATTACHING T0 AIRCRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED Nov 26. 1921.

1 423,3256 Patented July 18, 1922.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

H. E. S. HOLT.

LANDING LIGHT 0R FLARE Fm: ATTACHING T0 AIRCRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26,192L

Patentfi July 18, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

25 7/3 nic H. E. S. HOLT.

LANDING LIGHT 0R FLARE FOR ATTACHING T0 AIRCRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26, 192i.

ll g figfi. Patented July 18, 1922.

5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

H. E. S. HOLT.

LANDING LIGHT (1R FLARE FOR ATTAQHING T0 AIRCRAFT.

APPLlCATION FILED NOV-26., 192].

5 SHEETS SHEET 5.

F lg lll Application filed November 26, 1921.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that HAROLD EDWARD inns- WIN HOLT, subject of the King. of Great Britain and lreland, of The Grange, Farnborough. Hampshire, England. whose postoflice address is The Grange, Farnborough, Hampshire, England, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Landing Lights or Flares for Attaching to Aircraft (for which I have filed an application in Great Britain, Nov. 25. 1920, Serial No. 33,316), of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to landing lights or flares for attaching to aircraft, and consist-- ing of a flare proper or burning body of high illuminating capacity. a flare suspending bracket adapted for attachment to the wing or some other part of the aircraft. and means under manual control for electrically igniting the flare.

As the result of considerable experience in the use of these landing lights. it has been found desirable to provide a shade over the light in order to avoid the dazzling effects of upwardly directed light rays and their interference with the observation of the ground below. Also in some cases, a pilot should have some ready means at his disposal for masking the light either before or after he has effected his landing, as for example in the case of an enemy machine appearing overhead.

The present invention is intended to meet the above requirements or either of them as may be necessary, also to reduce the air resistance of the flare by employing a shade or reflector which when closed forms a good stream line, and also to eifect other improvements primarily designed to further enhance the utility of the landing lights whether employed under war or peace conditions, and comprises a combined flare-holder, shade and flare, with suitable adjuncts for operatingthe shade.

For preference, the shade is mounted so as to be easily removable from the holder or bracket arm, the electric -detonator or niter is easily replaceable in theflare and the, flare body is mechanically connected to the holder, such connections serving to convey the electric currentto the detonator or igniter and eliminating loose wlres or telminals at the points of connectlon.

Specification of Letters Patent.

an alternative arrangement for HAROLD EDWARD SHERWIN HOLT, OF FA-R-NBOROUGI-I ENGLAND.

LANDING LIGHT OR FLARE FGR ATTACHING- T0 AIRCRAFT.

Patented July 18, 1922.

Serial No. 518,021.

;The invention is hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying draw ings in which L Figs. 1 and Q- are side and end elevations respectively of acombined flare, suspending bracket, and shade constructed according to this invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan taken at 33 Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the shade showing the same partly open.

F g. 5 is an inverted plan of the same.

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the flare proper and lower part of the bracket.

Fig. 7 is an elevation partly in section at right angles to Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken through the 'bracket at 88 Fig. 6.

Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional elevation and plan respectively showing a slightly modified form of connection between the bracket and flare proper, and

Figs. 11 and 12 are elevations at right angles of a portion of a flare body illustrating controlling the opening of the shade.

As shown the shade which may also act as a reflector and is made of sheet metal or other suitable material, is divided vertically into two parts or halves, a, a, hingedly con nected at their upper ends by pins 6 and capable of being folded together when not in use to form around the flare body c a casing or housing of stream-line shape open at the bottom. The flare body consists of a suitable burning composition enclosed in a container or tube of zinc or othersuitable ma-' terial.

Overlapping plates at, a, are also fixed inside the two halves of the shade to interrupt light rayswhich would otherwise e cape through the angular gaps at the ends when the shade is open. These plates are fixed in position by screws so as to be easily detachable and in some cases may be omitted.

Torsion springs (Z, d, arranged on the hinge pins 6 connecting the two halves of .thejshade tend to open the shade which is the pivot if the ground away when the flare is ignited and during the burning of the flare the halves of the shade are held partly closed by flexible wires 7' attached to the flare case by tapes or other means so as to be released the flare burns away or the shade halves are progressively released by two furthermetal strips f Figs. 11 and 12 attached to them and soldered at intervals to the flare body 0. Provision is made to prevent shocks or jarring during the progressive or step by step opening of the shade by imparting to each of the controlling strips f a more or less sinuous shape so that as successive portions of the strips are released by the burning away of the flare, such portions straighten out gradually and without jerking under the force of the springs.

Art the top the shade is detachably connected with the flare holder by the pins 5 which also serve as hinge pins these pins be ing screw threaded. and after passin through hinge lugs a on the shade halves enter screw threaded holes a in the flange of a disc or plate 9 riveted to the lower end of the suspending arm or bracket h. The pins 7) are provided with pivoted end pieces 7) or milled heads and can be easily removed to release the shade.

The flare body 0 is detachably connected with the holder or bracket h by bolts 71 which pass upwards through a wooden closing plug j cemented in the top of the flare tube or container, and then through the disc or plate 9 on the lower end of the suspending arm or bracket h and through an insulating disc g fixed on the disc g. Bolts 2' are provided with milled nuts and also form terminal screws for the ignition wires.

An alternative method of detachably securing the flare body 0 to the holder or bracket is shown in Figs. 9 and 10 and comprises a disc 9 of insulating material capable of being turned about a central screw g by a handle 9 Headed pins 11 on the flare-body are passed through keyed slots 2' in the disc after which the disc is turned to bring the narrow parts of the slots under the heads of the pins, the surfaces adjacent the narrow parts of the slots being suitably inclined to ensure a tight fixing.

The arm or bracket h for attachment to the aircraft is pivotally connected at its upper end to an attachment fitting 7: so as to be capable of swinging aft to some extent against the action of a torsion spring Z on should be struck by the flare when landing. Bracket his bifurcated and built up of thin sheet metal strips in which grooves are pressed to form internal channels and external stiffening ribs h. The electric leads pass down the channels to the flare, from terminals m.

In order to permit of easy removal for testing and replacement, the electric detonator or igniter 0 which is arranged to start a short length of quick match p in the lower end of the flare, is fixed in the lower end of a hermetically sealed tube capable of being inserted. into a central passage or tube 7" in the flare body from the upper end, the tube q being of such length, that, when pushed in fully. it correctly positions the igniter against the quick match p.

The tube q'is carried on a wooden screw plug 0 which screws into the closing plug j in the top of the flare tube. There is a passage through the plug for the ignition wires 8 which are led out and connected to the screws 2' or pins 71.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the opening of the shade is effected and controlled automatically through the igniting and burning away of the flare.

I claim 1. A landing light or flare for attaching to aircraft comprising a flare holder. a flare body detachably secured to the holder and provided with means for igniting it electrically, and a shade attached to the flare holder and capable of being opened and closed.

2. The combination with a landing light for aircraft including a flare body and carrier, the flare body being ignitable at its lower end, of a shade formed in sections hingedly mounted. at their upper ends and movable to folded position to form a casing around the flare body, and means carried by the flare body to engage the lower ends of said sections and releasably hold the casing sections in a folded position.

3. The structure of claim 2 having the means releasably holding the casing sections in a folded position carried by the ignitable lower end of the flare body whereby initial burning of the flare body will release said means and permit dropping of the same from engagement with the flare body and casing sections to permit opening of said sections.

4. The structure of claim, 2 having the means releasably holding the casing sections in a folded position consisting of a cap fitting upon the ignitable lower end of the flare body and having means extending transversely thereof and beyond the sides thereof for releasably engaging the casing sections. 7

5. The structure of claim 2 having the means releasa-bly holding the casing sections in a. folded position consisting of a cap fitting upon the ignitable end of the flare body, a strip carried by and extending beyond the sides of the cap and having perforations in its end portions and pin elements carried by the casing sections and extending into the perforations of the strip to hold the casing sections folded.

6. A landing light comprlsmg a flare holder, a flare body carried thereby and provided with igniting means, a shade attached to the flare holder and capable of being opened and closed, and means connecting the flare body and shade and controlled by the burning of the flare to regulate the opening of the shade.

7. A landing light comprising a flare holder, an ignitable flare body carried thereby, a shade attached to the flare holder and having sections capable of being opened and closed, and means extending from the flare and connected with the shade sections to limit opening of the same, the means for limiting opening of the sections consisting of strips anchored to the sides of the flare and connected with the sections and extending longitudinallv of the flare When the casing sections are folded, the strips'being each secured to the flare at points throughout its length by meltable means to permit gradual opening of the sections as the meltable means melts.

8. The structure of claim 2 having the carrier provided with a base portion having sockets, the casing sections being provided with hinge ears alined with the sockets, pivot pins extending through the ears and secured in the sockets to pivotally mount the casing sections, and spring means carried by the pivot pins to move the easing sections to an open shade forming position.

9. The structure of claim 2 having the carrier provided with a base portion having sockets, the casing sections being provided with hinge ears alined With the sockets, pivot pins extending through the ears and secured in the sockets to pivotally mount the casing sections, and coiled springs upon the pivot pins having extended end portions engaging" the casing sections to normally hold the casing sections in an open shade forming position.

1G. The structure of claim 2 having the carrier provided with a base portion, pivot pins extending therefrom, the casing sections having hinge ears engaging the pivot pins to pivotally mount the casing sections, and spring means normally holding the casing sections in a shade forming position.

In testimony whereof he has aflixed his signature. HAROLD EDWARD SHERWIN HOLT. 

